Hedra, a new web-based proactive video/audio generation platform, launched just two weeks ago and has already made an impressive $32 million. This $40M Series A funding round was led by Andreessen Horowitz’s new Infrastructure fund. The company was founded and is still led by Michael Lingelbach. Its ambition is to connect the detail and craft of traditional video production with the future oriented approach to AI generated content that focuses on movement and expression.
Lingelbach, who is currently living in India, has a hard-hitting journalistic pedigree from outlets such as the Huffington Post and The Next Web. In the process, he’s discovered an even bigger void. He noted that players like Synthesia are already pros at creating videos. Unfortunately, they don’t have platforms that drive towards more nuanced characters and deeper storytelling.
“I thought what if we did something at the intersection of video generation and 3D characters, with long dialogues and better controllability,” Lingelbach stated. This vision has guided Hedra’s entire development, culminating with its first video model set to launch in June 2024.
Hedra’s unique platform goes far beyond this though, letting users use different models to create different content. For video creation, users have access to models such as Veo 2 and Kling. At the same time, for generative image creation, models like Flux, Imagen3, Sana and Ideogram V2 have emerged. Furthermore, users can leverage voice generation or cloning capabilities utilizing audio models from ElevenLabs & Cartesia deepening the narrative experience.
The rollout of our Character-3 model in March was a critical turning point for Hedra. On this basis, the creative expressiveness of its characters is prioritized by this model, which according to Hedra goes way beyond competing platforms. As Ivan Mehta explains, “AI can’t replicate these emotions and experiences, but AI companies can generate incredible clips of environments and primitive movements. They are unable to create constructive conversation or movement. It’s much more than just producing a video, it’s about crafting a compelling narrative that connects. That’s mostly due to the people and characters onstage putting together their story. That’s exactly what Hedra is building.
Hedra’s recent funding includes backing from Amazon’s Alexa Fund. This support is a testament to the strong conviction of our investors that Hedra has the potential to lead the way in AI content generation.
Hedra had announced $10 million in seed funding with Index Ventures, Abstract Ventures, and a16z speedrun. This funding has allowed them to lay the groundwork for future expansion and creation of vibrant, active places.
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